[Edaily An Chi-yeong Reporter Lee Min-ha] The fallout from the police raid on the pediatric emergency center at Ajou University Hospital has not subsided even after an apology was issued. Concerns are mounting that this could lead to a exodus of medical staff and hinder the training of future personnel. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the National Police Agency will discuss establishing investigative guidelines this week to protect clinical settings.

According to the medical community on the 1st, the Director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau at the National Police Agency and the Acting Chief of the Southern Gyeonggi Provincial Police Agency visited Ajou University Hospital on the 29th of last month to meet with Hospital Director Jo Jae-ho and Lee Ji-sook, Director of the Pediatric Emergency Care Center. A hospital official stated, “The police did not merely express regret; they repeatedly said, ‘We’re sorry.’”

However, the future of the medical staff remains unresolved. Currently, seven out of nine pediatric emergency specialists have expressed their intention to resign. Some, including Director Lee, have actually submitted their letters of resignation. The hospital is reportedly not accepting the resignations immediately and is instead trying to persuade the professors to stay.

The controversy erupted on September 30 when police investigating the child’s death raided the Pediatric Emergency Center and other areas. The medical community protested, calling it an excessive investigation that failed to take the emergency care setting into account. The police maintain that they executed the warrant lawfully in empty examination rooms and treatment rooms after prior consultation with the hospital.

As Doctors Who Treat Patients Leave, the Number of Doctors Who Teach Also Declines

Pediatric emergency medicine is a field where the pressure to save a child’s life in urgent situations is compounded by the burden of explaining the situation to parents. Park Soo-hyun, Public Relations Director of the Korean Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, explained, “Pediatricians find emergency situations stressful, while emergency medicine specialists find pediatric care and explaining the situation to parents burdensome.”

In fact, very few specialists are applying to the field of pediatric emergency medicine. This year, only eight residents registered with the society for subspecialty training in pediatric emergency medicine, combining both the first and second halves of the year. Specialists on the front lines handle both patient care and the training of junior physicians. If they leave, the on-call burden on the remaining doctors will increase, and their capacity for training will decrease. There are also concerns that anxiety over investigations could influence junior physicians’ career choices.

Within the medical community, opposition is growing against coercive investigations, which are seen as threatening the safety of patients and their guardians. Kim Taek-woo, president of the Korean Medical Association, also staged a one-person protest in front of the National Police Agency on the 30th of last month, criticizing the police by stating, “We must not ignore the unique nature of the medical field, where lives are at stake, simply because an investigation is deemed necessary.”

Ministry of Health and Welfare and National Police Agency Discuss Investigation Principles to Protect Medical Care

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has begun formulating countermeasures after hearing the medical community’s views. Minister Jeong Eun-kyung met with the Korean Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine on the 30th of last month to hear their opinions.

The society proposed investigative principles that call for refraining from raids on medical facilities, such as emergency rooms, and prioritizing requests for the voluntary submission of documents. Minister Jeong expressed agreement and stated that she would consult with the National Police Agency to ensure guidelines are established promptly.

At the National Police Agency’s suggestion, Minister Jeong and the agency’s acting chief are scheduled to meet in person this week, with the specific schedule currently being coordinated. A National Police Agency official said, “We have agreed to meet with the Ministry of Health and Welfare,” adding, “We are coordinating on various agenda items to be discussed.”

Separately, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has decided to actively review the medical associations’ requests to strengthen the transport system for critically ill pediatric patients and expand public support to secure medical personnel. The challenge is to establish procedures that ensure patient care while conducting necessary investigations and restore trust on the front lines. Minister Jeong said, “We will continue to strive to create an environment where medical staff can work with peace of mind.”